Piston-valve fob internal-combustion engines



PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

E. W. ADAMS.V PIsToN VALVE EOE INTERNAL ooMEUsTIoN ENGINES APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21. 1906.

WWA/55353 /NVENTOH jzrgmaws BYWV A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

HARRY WALTER ADAMS, OF FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PHILIP lW. FARNHAM, OF FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA.

PISTON-VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

Original application filed July 1l, 1905, Serial No. 269,154. Divided and this application filed November 2l, 1906.

' Serial No. 344,394.

To all 'whom .it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HARRY WALTER ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fargo, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Piston-Valve for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

:This invention relates to certain improvements in internal combustion engines, and more particularly to valves designed for use in the piston thereof, and adapted for controlling the passage of air or other gases to or from the piston cylinder; this application being a division of my previous application, Serial No. 269,154 filed July 11, 1905.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby air or an explosive mixture may be admitted to the piston cylinder through the piston thereof, or whereby the exhaust gases of the cylinder may be removed through the piston to the outside atmosphere.

The specific valve disclosed in the accompanying drawing is especially adapted for the admission of compressed air to the cylinder for the scavenging of the same, and for permitting the removal of the remainder of the exhaust gases after the rst scavenging operation. The general engine structure illustrated in connection with the improved valve and valve operating mechanism is entirely independent thereof, and said valve may be employed in various other engines, and for accomplishing other results than those hereinafter specifically referred to.

In illustrating the construction and operation of my improved valve, I have shown it in connection with an engine having a differential piston, in the end of which is located a port controlled by my improved valve. The piston operates within a differential cylinder and closed crank case in such a manner that at the end of the expansion or working stroke, said valve will be opened and the compressed air within the crank case admittedto the working cylinder to scavenge the same. The pressure within the crank case is thus reduced substantially to that of the atmosphere, and upon the in stroke ofthe piston the air in the crank case is rareiied and the piston valve is opened to permit of the withdrawal of the remainder of the exhaust gases from the piston cylinder into the crank case to complete the scavenging operation. In the specific engine shown the larger portion of the differential piston serves in connection with certain devices constituting no portion of the invention herein claimed, to compress the air which is led to the admission port of the working cylinder. During the in stroke after the/ piston valve is closed and the admission port valve is opened, the whole or a part of this compressed air mixed with the fuel is admitted into the working cylinder and compressed therein during the later portion of the in stroke of the piston.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part yof this specification, and which illustrates as an example the preferred embodiment of my invention, such illustration being a central longitudinal section.

The engine illustrated in the drawing comprises a working cylinder 10 having an enlarged extension l1 forming a compressor cylinder, the latter being in open communication with the crank case 12. Within the working cylinder is a working piston 14 and within the compressor cylinder is a compressor piston 15, which pistons are formed integral but of different diameters, as indicated in the drawing. The pistons are connected by a rod 16 with the crank disks 17 of the shaft 18, and the working piston 14 has a cap 19 bolted thereto, said cap being formed with a tubular stem guide 20 which projects through an opening in the piston toward the crank case. Said guide has openings 21 therein placing it in communication with the crank case, and the upper end of the guide 20 is open and commanded by a valve 22 which opens into the working cylinder. The stem 23 of this valve passes through the guide 20, and has a nut 24 on its lower end engaged by a spring between the nut and the lower end of the guide 20, so as to yieldingly seat the valve 22.

Fitted loosely in and extending longitudinally through the connecting rod 16 is a valve-operated rod 26 having a button 27 on its upper end which engages the nut 24. The lower end of the connecting rod is formed with an annular channel 28 which receives loosely a cam 29 fastened to the wrist pin 30 and adapted to engage the lower end of the valve-operating rod 26. 1t will thus be seen that the valve 22 is yieldingly seated, is capable of opening automatically upon superior pressure, and is opened once during each revolution of the shaft 18 by the cam 29 striking the valve rod 26, lifting the same, and opening the valve 22 through its stem 3. This periodical mechanical operation of the valve 22 occurs once during each revolution of the crank shaft.

The enlarged compressor cylinder 11 has an air admission port 3l therein, said port being located near the top center or innermost position of the pistou, so that it is uncovered only when the piston is at or near the top center position. Upon the downward stroke of the piston air is compressed in the crank case. and when pressure is relieved in the working cylinder, the valve 22 is automatically opened, permitting this air to'iiow into the working cylinder to scavenge it. Upon the upward movement of the piston the air in the crank case is raretied, and during the inward stroke the valve 22 is mechanically opened through the action ol the cam 2S) and its (reacting parts, thus permitting such products ol combusti on as may yet reside in the working cylinder to llow into the crank Case.

The workingl cylinder l() is provided with an admission port 22 and an exhaust port 33, the lormer being located adjacent the end ol the cylinder' and communicating with the com pression space of the working cylinder, while the latter' is at the outer or bottom center po sition of the piston so as to be uncovered only adjacent the end of the working stroke and communicate with the atinosph ere. The admission oll the air through the port 32 is controlled and governed in any suitable manner, as, tor instance, by the mechanism illustrated, such mechanism being clearly described and its operation set forth in the parent application of which Vthis application is a division, and the air admitted to the Cylind er ll through a valve 33 is compressed and delivered through a valve 34 and a cooler 35 to a suitable carburetor, and thence through a pipe 3G, the mechanism lor governing and controlling these valves being also lully set l'orth in the parent application above rel'erred to.

'.lh e operation oi the engine as far as it relates to the scavengug ol' the working cylinder may be traced as l'ol lows: A ssumin g the parts to be in the position shown in the drawings'and the crank shalt revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow, upon a downstroke or working stroke olE the piston the port 3l is covered and compression takes place in the crank case. This continues until the piston reaches a pointadjacent the end ol its working stroke, that is, until the exhaust port 33 of the working cylinder is opened. At this time. the presl sure in the Working cylinder falls to that ol the atmosphere, due to the escape et' the exhaust gases through the port 33, and as the pressure within the crank case is now considerably greater' than that oi' the atmosphere, the compressed air within the crank case overcomes the action el' the spring 25 and blows into the working Cylinder to scavenge it. The pressure ol' the air within the crank case then drops merely to that ol' the atmosphere, and as soon as the inward movement oi the piston begins, the valve 22 is closed and the air within the crank ase is rarelied. The cam 29 now serves to positively open the valve 22 and permit such products ol combustion as may yet reside in the working cylinder to llow into the crank case. As the cioss sectional area ol' the compressor cylinder ll is greater than the cross sectional area ol the workin g cylinder l0, it will be noted that the return movement ol the piston toward the working cylinder l0 serves to rarely the air, and the products of Colnbustion will thus be almost completely withdrawn into the crank case. At or approximately at the middle ol' the instroke the valve 22 is permitted to close and at this time the admission valve 32 is opened and the air which has been highly compressed between the two pistons lll and 15 and charged with the fuel at the carbureter, is admitted to the working cylinder. The explosive charge thus enters the cylinder under high pressure, and its entrance to the cylinder is lacilitated by the rarelled condition within the working cylinder. During the remainder ol the instroke ol' the piston the charge is still lurther compressed, and at or near t he end oi said stroke the charge is ignited and burned in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. An internal combustion engine having a wm'king pisA ton, an extended, hollow, perforated, tubular member cai ried thereby, said piston having a passage therethrough communicating with the interior ot said tubular member. a valve tor controlling the llow ot lluid through said passage, a Valve rod tor said valve slidahly mounted within the outer end of said tubular member, an enlarged curved head secured to the outer end ot' said valve rod. means in termediate said head and said tubular member I'or resiliently holding said valve in its closed posi ion` and means in operative engagement: with the crank shat't and having' an enlarged curved head adapted to engage with the head olf the valve rod to intermittently open the valve one ol said heads being longitudinally adjustable to control the extent; to which said valve is opened.

2, An internal combustion engine havingl a working pisY ton provided with a passage extending therethrough. a valve for controlling said passage. a pert'oralwl tubular member carried by said piston and t'orming an extension `t'or said passage, a valve rod t'or said valve supported and guided within said tubular member. a head on the end ol' said valve rod and longitudinally adjustable in relation thereto, means tor resiliently holding said valv(` in its closed position, and means in operative eng: lement with thel crank shaft for engaging with said head ol the valve rod to open the valve, the extent to which the valve is opened being dependent; upon the adjustment; ot said head.

fl. An internal combustion engine having a workiimpisY ton provided with a pas; ge extending therethrough. a valve for controlling said passage, a valve rod lor said valve, means carried b v said piston ior supporting and guiding said valve rod. an enlarged head upon the outer end ot said valve rod and longitudinally adjustable in reY lation thereto. and means in operative engagement' with a moving part ot the engine ior engaging with said head to intermi ently open said valve.

ln testimony whereotl l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses T. A. iNIAivrINsoN, L. O. MCDONALD.

(itl 

